


when time stopped

by Sakuyan



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Invisible Kingdom | Revelation Route, M/M, happy ending because i'm a sucker for them, the crack pairings continue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-29 14:03:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12632550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakuyan/pseuds/Sakuyan
Summary: Everything in Takumi's world came to a standstill the moment Corrin was impaled.





	when time stopped

**Author's Note:**

> So... I'm pretty sure no one else thought of this pairing. XD My favorite Corrin ships are Takumi and Xander, so I thought why not combine the two? I'm also a fan of Xander x Takumi so it made even more sense (to me) to throw these three together.
> 
> Hopefully I managed to make this pairing make even a little a bit of sense to others. :P
> 
> Commentary and feedback is appreciated~
> 
> P.S: I listened to "Seduces Me" by Celine Dion while writing this ;3

Everything in Takumi’s world stops. All he sees is a Vallite sneaking behind Corrin and thrusting its sword through his abdomen. Corrin stands there, just for a few seconds, before crumpling to the ground.

“No… nononono…” His knees turning to jelly, the archer falls to his knees, stomach clenching as he dry heaves. Takumi doesn’t notice someone take out the offending Vallite, nor someone kneeling next to him and shaking him.

“Takumi… Takumi! Get a hold of yourself!” 

Coming back to reality, Takumi blinks a few times, trying to regulate his breathing. Someone envelops him within their arms and for a brief moment, he struggles against their hold until the same voice whispers, “Calm yourself.”

Taking a number of deep breaths, Takumi flicks his eyes up to meet Xander’s, and tears gather within them before he slumps against Nohr’s Crown Prince and sobs. 

“Shh… it’s going to be alright…” Xander reassures, tightening his grip on the Hoshidan prince. Takumi shakes and sobs against the older male for a minute before composing himself and taking a shaken breath. “That’s it, come back.”

“X-Xander… will Cor…” He can’t get the words out. Clenching his eyes shut, hot tears fall down Takumi’s cheeks and he hastily wipes them away. “I was right there! I should have protected him! I should have--”

“You cannot change what’s already happened,” Xander says harshly. It’s not meant to hurt the younger prince; it’s meant to calm him, and it works. Takumi sobers up and lifts his head. “The best thing we can do is be there for him when he awakens.”

“...You’re right. You’re always right.” Takumi huffs and chuckles, the sound pained. “I wish you were wrong for once.”

“Perhaps I will be one day.” Xander smiles slightly and runs his fingers through Takumi’s silver tresses. “Leo and Ryoma are protecting him for now. Let us finish this fight, hm?”

“...Yeah.” Takumi takes Xander’s offered hand and lets the other help him stand. “I’ll kill these bastards for hurting him.”

.o.

The wait outside the healing tent is excruciating. Takumi paces back and forth with an agitated spring in his step; Xander tried to stop him many times, but the archer got back up mere moments after sitting again. Now the Crown Prince watches with concern in his eyes. Xander knows Takumi will be beating and berating himself for what happened to their prince, yet he also knows the only one who can stop it is Corrin himself.

Sakura exits the healing tent, followed by Elise. Takumi’s pacing stops and he looks at the healers expectantly. “W-We managed to save him.”

“He’ll need lots of rest,” Elise adds in. “But he’s awake and asking for you guys. Don’t overload him, okay?”

“You have my word,” Xander says when Takumi remains quiet. He grips on the smaller man’s elbow and starts to lead him in, the concern rising when Takumi simply allows himself to be led. It’s against everything Xander knows about the prince and it makes anxiety lodge in the pit of his stomach.

The flap closes behind them and neither prince can say anything before Corrin’s weak, hoarse voice breaks the tense silence. “Don’t look… so sad.”

Takumi remains standing next to Xander, though a quick glance at the youngest of them shows he’s doing everything not to crumple on the spot. Xander sighs and wraps an arm around the archer. “It is alright, Takumi.”

A harsh intake of breath is the only warning either prince has before Takumi lets out a sob. He collapses on his knees and buries his fingers within his hair, tugging on it. Silver strands fall on the floor as he mumbles “I’m so sorry…”

“Takumi!” Hating to see the broken state he’s in, Xander kneels next to Takumi and gently pulls his hands out of his hair. He doesn’t notice Corrin move from his spot until the Vallite prince curls against Takumi’s other side. “No one blames you for what happened.” 

“He’s right, Kumi,” Corrin whispers, nuzzling his face against the other’s neck. “If you or Xander were in my position, I would have frozen up too.”

“But…” Takumi takes a shaken breath and looks at the older princes. “I had a clear shot, I should have--”

“In that moment, everything came to a stop, didn’t it? You couldn’t move.” Corrin lifts his head up and puts his hand on Takumi’s cheek, making the younger look at him. “I had a nightmare, once. I saw both of you about to get a fatal blow and… I couldn’t stop the attacks. You… both of you died.”

Xander remains silent. It’s not news to him. Takumi suffers from constant nightmares, and Corrin seemed to pick up on getting them from time to time as well. The archer was asleep whenever Corrin would awaken, body trembling and sweat pouring down his brow. 

The Crown Prince comforted his little prince each and every time. He knows Corrin never wanted to burden Takumi with his nightmares, since the youngest prince has them on a regular basis. The fact he’s telling Takumi of one of his horrendous ones shows Xander he’s pulling out all the stops to prove to the archer it’s not his fault.

“...Really?” Takumi’s eyes widen. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You deal with nightmares far more frequently than I do, Kumi. Xander would comfort me whenever they happened. I’m… sorry we kept it from you.” Corrin laughs quietly and hugs Takumi closer. “It’s human nature to freeze whenever your loved one is hurt.”

“I… guess so.” Takumi flicks his gaze over to Xander before looking at Corrin again. “But from now on, if you have a nightmare, wake me up too. I want to be there for you just as you’re there for me.”

“Promise.” Corrin looks at them. “Now you two get in bed with me.”

Takumi laughs. “Oh? You have something in mind, Cor?”

“No, I just…” The Vallite prince coughs in embarrassment. “I want to be between you.”

Xander smiles, gets up, and offers his hand to his lovers, pulling them up. “Very well, little prince.”


End file.
